How to Make a Big Impact in a Small Town: Part 1

Mark Clifton and Mark Hallock unpack practical ways churches can reach small towns and rural communities, drawing from the Converge article, “10 Ways to Reach Your Rural Community.” If you’re a pastor or church leader in a small town, this episode will help you think more strategically about evangelism, outreach, and community presence in a rural context.

In this episode, they discuss how to:

1. Make sure no second-time guest slips through the cracks.

• Create simple follow-up systems for visitors.
• Help guests connect with real relationships, not just programs.

2. Get your church into the local news and community conversation.

• Look for ways to serve that are newsworthy in your small town.
• Build relationships with local media, schools, and civic leaders.

3. Get “schooled” by engaging your local schools.

• Support teachers, staff, and students in practical ways.
• Volunteer, mentor, and show up consistently at school events.

4. Be offensive—in the right way.

• Play offense by taking the gospel outside your building.
• Move from a “come and see” mindset to a “go and tell” lifestyle.

5. Bust out of the Sunday morning box.

• Think beyond worship services to weekly rhythms of mission.
• Use everyday spaces and everyday routines for intentional outreach.

6. Be a regular in your community.

• Build a faithful presence at local coffee shops, restaurants, and parks.
• Become known as a pastor or church member who genuinely cares.

Ideal for:

• Rural pastors
• Replanters in small towns
• Church leaders looking to reach their local community more effectively

Resources Mentioned in This Episode

• Article: “10 Ways to Reach Your Rural Community” by the Converge Network

Use this conversation as a practical playbook for rural church revitalization, small-town church outreach, and community engagement that keeps the gospel at the center.